


Luau Stories

by girljen



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-08-10 21:43:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20142442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girljen/pseuds/girljen
Summary: The Pelican Town Luau is the celebration of the summer, and this year, Mayor Lewis is trying harder than ever to impress the governor! Go behind the scenes for the week before and the day of the Luau as Lewis attempts to get the entertainment and food sorted, and the villagers have Luau drama of their own.





	1. The Entertainment

“Thanks for agreeing to meet with me today. Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Water?”

“Joja Cola?” Sam asked.

“Mead?” Sebastian asked.

“Life elixir with quartz?” Abigail asked.

The Mayor’s face fell. “All I have is water, iced tea, and hot tea. I’m sorry.”

“Ice water is fine, then, sir!” Sam said. “It’s hot out, we could all use the hydration.” He sat down at the dining room table. Sebastian and Abigail followed his lead.

After Lewis poured ice water for everyone, he sat down. “As you know, the Luau is coming up in a couple weeks. The Governor will be coming for a visit, so it’s important that we impress him. I’m hoping to add a little something extra to this year’s celebration: Live music.”

“Nice!” Abigail looked at the guys, who looked back at her and nodded.

“I’d like Xenon Chip 3.0 to play a short set after dinner, to take the festival into the night and get everyone on the dance floor.”

“Can we sell our new album?” Sam asked

“Of course! I’d also like to put out a call to anyone else who wants to play live music, either solo or as part of a group.”

“I can play flute!” Abigail said. “And the farmer can play mini-harp. Maybe we can do a set together!” 

“Sounds great! I'd like both of you to play, separately as well as together.” Lewis looked to Sam. “And I understand that you also have turntables and a public address system?”

“Yes, sir. Are you looking to hire a DJ?”

“Actually, I was hoping you could do it as a favor...you know, for exposure! The governor will be here, and the Luau is starting to attract some other tourists from around the area! You could get some good contacts that way.” 

A shrewd smile spread across Sam’s face. “I understand your need to keep an eye on the budget, Mayor. A day-long festival is ten hours of work, which doesn’t come cheaply. But please keep in mind that you get what you pay for. There’s a huge difference between paying someone to do a job, with performance standards and pay spelled out in an official contract, and expecting me to do professional work for free simply because some old rando is coming into town.”

Sebastian and Abigail tried desperately to keep straight faces.

Sam continued. “I’ve done DJ work before. I have been paid for it, as is the expectation, and I performed how the clients wanted me to. I have references. If you’d like a DJ who performs like a professional, you may hire me and pay me...or, you can take your chances on just telling me to show up as a favor, and see how I expose myself when I’ve been volunteered to miss out on a celebration to do unpaid work.”

Abigail chuckled. 

Lewis’s face darkened. “I see your point. What’s your going rate?”

“10,000G. This includes setup and take-down, use of all equipment, music in between live performances, and professional and appropriate emceeing. I am familiar with pop, noise rock, country, electronic, and can play any other genre you need. I also take requests, and have the professional discretion to not play the raunchy ones when kids are around.”

“That’s...a little more than I’m willing to pay.”

“I understand that 10,000G is much larger than the 0G that you were expecting to pay, sir.” Sam kept his tone professional. “I know that as a community, Pelican Town isn’t exactly rich. That’s why I’m quoting you a lower price, hour for hour, than I quote my other clients. For 10,000G, you will get 10 hours of work. For comparison, I also charged 10,000G for a wedding in Grampleton, for five hours of work, which is much closer to the going rate for DJs nowadays.”

“Can...we discuss this tomorrow? I’ll need to sleep on it.”

“Yes, sir.” Sam smiled. “I’d love the chance to serve my community professionally, and to be paid like a professional while I’m doing it. Of course, I’d also love to go to the luau and party if you’re not willing to pay me...and like I said, you can always take your chances with voluntelling me to DJ for free, too.” He shrugged.

“No, I won’t be doing that.” Lewis sighed. After some parting pleasantries, he adjourned the meeting and the band left.

“Sam! My man!” Sebastian clapped Sam on the back. “You gave him the business! I didn’t know you could drive a bargain like that!”

“Me neither, and I’m not sure it actually worked,” Sam said. “I hope it did, our furnace went out last week and I gotta get some kind of side hustle going if we want to replace it before the weather gets cold again.”

“Oh, dang.”

“And I actually would behave if I got paid to DJ here, I’d much rather do that than another wedding.”

“Yeah, I thought you didn’t actually like DJing very much,” Abigail said.

“I like doing the emcee stuff.” Sam shrugged. “I just don’t like putting together playlists of music that I don’t like, then having to listen to it all night. Since this would be for people in town, I know them, and I could put out music that we all like...or at least that’s not too terrible.”

“That makes sense,” Abigail said. “Hey, you think your parents would let us come over for a jam session?”

“Only one way to find out!”

Mayor Lewis left the manor and walked down to the beach. He saw Elliott sitting by the campfire, grilling fish and staring out at the ocean.

“Mr. Elliott, good evening!”

“Good evening, sir! If I would have known you were coming, I would have put another fish on the grill.”

“Don’t worry about it. I just came by to talk to you about the luau real quick.”

“Of course! What day is it? I wouldn’t want to forget about it like I did last year.” He chuckled. “I hope the pale ale I put in wasn’t too terrible of an addition to the soup…”

“If I remember correctly, it was a good soup,” Lewis said. “The Luau is a couple weeks from today. I trust you’ll put something good in the soup, you usually do...but I’d like to talk to you about entertainment.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re going to have live music this year.” Lewis smiled. “I heard a rumor that you’re a pretty good piano player!”

“Oh, no…” Elliott shook his head. “I’m no virtuoso. I play for my own recreation, to give my mind a break from the labors of writing.”

“Well, we’re going to have a couple other amateurs playing instrumental sets, too. The farmer will play mini-harp, and Abigail will play flute. We’re having Xenon Chip 3.0 play a set at night, after dinner, but they’re the only professionals playing. I’d like to show off what the talented people in this town can do!”

“May I sleep on it, please? Performing music for the town is quite a tall order!”

“Yes, just get back to me about it tomorrow or the next day.”

As soon as Elliott finished his dinner and freshened up, he ran to Leah’s cottage. Nervously, he explained the whole thing to her--the Mayor’s plan to have live music at the luau, his request that Elliott play a set, his nervousness about performing.

“And on top of all that, I’d have to move my piano to the luau! I don’t know how to do that! It came with the house; I’ve never moved a piano before, and--”

“Elliott!” Leah’s voice was firm. “Listen. I’m only telling you this because I care about you and I’ve heard you play.”

He let out a sigh of relief. “I shouldn’t do this because I don’t want to embarrass myself? That’s one less thing to worry about.”

“No! You absolutely should do this, because you’re really good! And you can’t use moving the piano as an excuse, because Sebastian has a synthesizer and will be bringing it.”

Elliott’s jaw dropped. “Leah! You wouldn’t make me…”

“I can’t make you.” She poured him a glass of wine. “I can tell you that your music sounds good, that I want to hear it, that the Mayor wouldn’t ask you to play unless he knew you were good, and that you should definitely do it! I can’t make you, but I can strongly recommend that you do it.” She poured a glass of wine for herself and raised her glass. “Courage means feeling the fear and doing it anyway, Elliott. I care about you enough to want you to be courageous, and I’ve listened to you play piano enough to want you to share that gift.”

Speechless, Elliott gently clinked Leah’s wine glass with his own. He chugged his entire glass.

Leah giggled, then took a sip of her own wine. “Come on. Would the Mayor ask anyone to perform if he wasn’t sure of their abilities? No! Lewis doesn’t take risks like that. The only reason the Luau happens is to impress the governor. If something happens that does not impress the governor, Lewis drops the hammer on them! Remember when Sam put anchovies in the soup? Lewis went to the Sheriff and got actual criminal charges levied against Sam!”

“So you’re saying that if I mess this up, the results could be catastrophic!”

“No!” Leah laughed. “I’m saying that he wouldn’t even ask you to play unless he was one hundred percent confident in your ability! Think about it. He hasn’t put up an open call for talent. He specifically mentioned you; Abigail, who he’s heard play at recitals; the farmer, who he’s heard play at the Community Center; and Sam’s band, who he’s seen live. He knows you’re good. He knows they’re good. That’s why he’s asking!”

“Well.” Elliott lifted his empty wine glass to his lips, then set it down with a sigh. Leah refilled it. “Thank you, dear.” He took a drink. “I guess playing a few songs would be the right thing to do…”

“Yes! Absolutely!”

“...but certainly not the comfortable thing to do.”

“Great things never come from comfort zones!”


	2. The Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gus is in charge of the Luau feast. He's making his own broth from scratch this year, and needs to know what type to make. He also has an idea for the roast, but needs a favor from Linus to make it happen.

“Good evening, Pam! What can I get for you?” Gus grabbed a beer glass from behind the bar.

“Pale ale, please.” Pam took a seat at her usual stool.

“Alright, but only if you tell me what you’re gonna put in the soup at the Luau.”

“Oh, dangit! I forgot that’s coming up. It’s next week, right? Maybe I can rustle up a spice berry or buy a hot pepper from Pierre’s…” Pam shook her head. “Whatever I put it, it ain’t gonna cost much, that’s for sure.”

“Alright,” Gus said, stroking his chin, “So it’ll either be a fruit or a hot pepper?”

“Yes, sir.”

Gus handed Pam her beer, chuckling at the way her eyes and her smile widened. “Here you are, ma’am!”

“Heh...I’ve been lookin’ forward to this all afternoon!” She took a long, deep gulp. “Why do you need to know what’s going in the soup, anyway?”

“I’m making the broth from scratch this year!”

“Hoo, boy, that sounds like a pain in the rear end!”

Gus laughed. “I know how to make all the stocks and broths that I might need; chicken, beef, pork, veggie, fish, miso, ginger, smoky tomato...I just need to know which one to make, and that is where things get difficult.”

Emily interrupted. “Should I put in quinoa, amaranth, or kale?”

“Amaranth? You got seeds or greens?”

“Both!” Emily giggled. “I have a few garden pots in my house, just full of the stuff. It’s so versatile!”

“Alright. I’ll tell you by the night before whether to bring seeds or greens. Seeds will thicken the soup, and if I have a bunch of other starchy stuff, I’m not gonna want that. But the leaves don’t do that. They taste like spinach, and if we have more than a couple types of greens or cruciferous veggies, adding them would make the soup too bitter.”

“Gus!” It was Pam’s turn to interrupt. “How do you know all this stuff?” 

“I have been cooking since the time I could hold a spoon, Ms. Pam. My momma used to put me up on the counter, hand me a wooden spoon and a bowl, and have me mix up whatever she was cooking. I cooked meals for my family from the time I was ten years old. I worked as a line cook in high school. I was a cook in the Army. I moved up the ladder in restaurants until I became head chef at a five-star restaurant out in Zuzu. Then I retired early and bought this place. It’s not magic, just the repetition of doing the same thing day in and day out, my whole life.”

“You were a head chef at a five star restaurant? That must have been so glamorous!” Pam gave him a wistful look.

Gus rolled his eyes. “Only if you consider bossin’ around drunk line cooks and drugged-up sous chefs to be glamorous...that place was so dysfunctional. This place is smaller, and we don’t get famous customers...and I only have one helper...but dang, it is so much easier! I still get full menu control, and I get to work with a reasonable adult.”

“Thank you!” Emily giggled.

“Likewise, friend!”

Shane was the next to arrive. He ordered two beers; one for him, and one for the Luau soup. Gus said he’d hang on to that one and put it in the broth.

Willy came in, bragging about the beautiful albacore he’d caught, and he said he’d put that in the soup. 

“Great, something I can work with!”

“What do you mean?” Willy asked.

“I’m making the broth for the Luau soup from scratch. Now that I know you’re bringing fish, I also know that a beef broth won’t work and a tomato broth would overpower the flavors. That’s two potential stocks off the list.”

“Glad to help!” Willy laughed. “That’s a tall order...you’re gonna need a ton of broth!”

“Nah, only a few gallons…”

“Oh, Yoba! That’s ridiculous!”

The night went on. Marnie offered up an egg for the soup. Leah said she’d bring a fiddlehead fern. Gus began formulating a plan for a coconut ginger broth with a tropical flavor.

When the bar closed, Gus normally went to bed. When he was on his way back to his room, though, he heard a rustling in the trash can. He opened the door, walked around the corner, and saw Linus.

“Mr. Linus, hello.”

Linus cringed. “Sorry, sir. There’s some good food in here…” He hung his head.

“There’s some better food inside. I have a couple servings of spaghetti that I was just about to throw out, I made ‘em two nights ago. Would you like them?”

“Yes, please.” Linus’s voice was soft and hesitant.

“Alright, come on in.” Gus held the door.

Linus froze in place. “You sure?”

“Yes, sir, absolutely. I have a favor to ask you, and I figure we can discuss it while you’re eating.”

Linus timidly stepped inside.

“Have a seat, anywhere’s fine.”

Linus sat down at the table nearest the door. Gus rushed to the kitchen, then rushed back with a piping hot plate of spaghetti garnished with fresh grated parmesan cheese and a glass of ice water.

“Thank you, sir!”

“Not a problem. You’re welcome to stop by after the Saloon closes anytime, get that leftover food before it goes into the garbage. Want a beer?”

“No thank you, sir. It’s supposed to be a hot one tomorrow, and I don’t want to wake up dehydrated.”

“Understandable. I’ll pack that other plate up before you go; it’s in the fridge and I’ll give you some ice for it so you can keep it in your cooler.” Gus smiled warmly. “Now, I have a favor for you. It’s about the Luau.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re a good hunter and you’re great at roasting meat. Do you think you could do an elk roast this year?”

Gus sat bolt upright. “A what?” He shook his head. “Mr. Gus, I get a suckling boar every year because that’s what I can handle. I can hunt it, I can carry it back to the tent, I can butcher it, and I can roast it. It’s also small enough so that I can finish the leftovers without any going to waste. I’m sure I could take down an elk with my bow and arrow. I could roast elk meat, no problem; I’ve done it before. But I can’t carry the damn thing! And I don’t have tools strong enough to butcher one, either.”

“I’ll let you borrow my pickup,” Gus said.

Linus let out a belly laugh. “Oh, Yoba! I can’t drive!”

“How about this. I can drive you to the mountains, out by Castle Village. You bag an elk, I’ll drive you back, I’ll butcher the thing, and you can roast it.”

“Well, that would work...what about the leftovers, though? Seems like half the dang town’s vegetarian, or else they just eat fish...and there’s no way I could eat all the leftovers without it going bad! Would you want ‘em?” Linus took a bite of spaghetti. 

“We could divvy ‘em up. I have a deep freezer in my kitchen. I could portion out enough meat for the luau; the backstraps and tenderloins, maybe. Only the best for our festival! Then I could cut up the rest the meat into single servings, and freeze it. Half for you, half for me.” As Gus spoke, he saw Linus’s eyes getting bigger and bigger, and a smile spreading across his face. 

Linus quickly wiped his mouth and swallowed. “That would be great!”

“I’d just have to worry about the bones and the hide--”

“No you wouldn’t, sir!” Linus interrupted. “I will gladly take those off your hands! I could get a blanket and probably a new set of shoes out of the hide, and the tools to make those things from the bones!”

Gus’s jaw dropped. “You know how to make all that?”

“Yes, sir. Picked that up from the tundra dwellers. If there’s one thing they have plenty of, it’s elk, and they use every part of the animal.”

“Nice! Then you are welcome to the skin, the hide, the hooves, the antlers...it’s all yours.”

“Thank you, sir. When would you like to go?”

Gus shrugged. “How about Sunday? It’s usually mellow at the Saloon that day, we won’t need two people behind the bar.” 

“Alright. Should I show up right at sunrise, or will you need some time to sleep in?”

“I’ll get to bed early on Saturday night so we can start driving at sunrise.” 

“Sounds good. Thanks again for the spaghetti, by the way, this is delicious.”


	3. Looking Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flash of intuition leads Emily to the town square, where she sells some the dresses she's made. Some of the ladies of Pelican Town have their minds on the Luau, while others just want to meet Emily's cute parrot friend.

“Dresses!” Emily woke with a start. “That’s what I need to do!” 

The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon. Emily threw her closet door open, shoved her personal clothes aside, and started grabbing dresses. She’d give each dress a quick once-over, then hang it back in the closet or drape it over the chair near her sewing machine. Soon, she had to use the sewing table to hold the dresses she was keeping out of the closet, too.

Once she had piled up a couple dozen dresses, and changed her own clothes, Emily grabbed a rolling clothing rack. She set it up between the sewing table and the parrot’s perch. The noise woke the parrot, who cocked their head to the side and gave the rack a curious look while stretching their legs and wings.

“Good morning, friend,” Emily said. “You’re looking resplendent today! Don’t mind the clothing rack, I’m just taking some dresses out to the town square to sell.” She paused. “Because I feel called to do so, that’s why. Something deep within my psyche is telling me that this is what I’m supposed to be doing today.”

As Emily hung up the bright, jewel-toned wrap dresses and caftans, the parrot climbed onto the rack like a perch. 

“Don’t poop on there, buddy…”

The parrot screamed.

“You wanna come with me? Go outside, see some people? Alright, let me grab a couple sarongs.” Emily draped a few long pieces of fabric on one hanger, then hung that up on the rack. She left a note for Haley, put the bird on her shoulder, and wheeled the rack out to the town square.

As soon as she stopped in the center of the square, she felt the tension leave her body. Yes, this was exactly what she was supposed to do. She extended a couple poles on the rack and used them to display the prettiest caftan and the prettiest wrap dress, then spread the rest of the dresses out to get some daylight between them.

The first person to visit her display was Maru.

“Hey, Maru! You need a dress for the Luau!” Emily smiled warmly.

“Huh?” Maru stopped in her tracks. “I usually just wear my regular clothes, and I was actually coming over to say hi to the parrot...but…”

“Oh! Yes, my friend was looking at you, too! They might want to say hi.” Emily held her arm out toward Maru. The parrot shyly approached her, leaning forward and then pulling back.

“Hi, Emily’s friend…” Maru’s voice was soft. “You’re very pretty.”

The parrot edged closer.

Maru continued. “I love your fancy purple crest!”

The parrot leaned forward. Maru reached her hand up.

“Is that crest a warning sign or a fertility symbol for you and your parrot friends? Because your pretty green wings are obviously for camouflage in the trees, and--OW!!”

“Hey!” Emily pulled her arm back and the parrot hopped on her shoulder.

Maru shook her hand out and laughed. “They must think I know too much!”

“I’m sorry. Parrots are so unpredictable!” Emily shook her head.

“I know! My dad has done some field work in the Fern Islands, studying the symbiotic relationships between jungle plants. He got bit good a few times! He’d get too close to a nest, or startle a parrot, or try to grab his notebook while a parrot was busy ripping it up...parrots can be jerks!”

Emily cringed. “They don’t operate on a value system anything like ours…”

Maru laughed and corrected herself. “Parrots can seem like jerks!”

“Did that bite break the skin?”

“Nope, I’m good. There’s probably gonna be a bruise, but nothing terrible.” Maru showed Emily her hand. There was a raised welt, but no broken skin. “Now I’m just gonna leave your buddy alone, and look at some dresses. I actually hadn’t thought of dressing up for the Luau, but now I kinda want to! I’m a little nervous, though...I don’t wear dresses or skirts that often.”

“I bet a wrap dress would look really pretty on you,” Emily said.

“I...still wanna look like myself, too.”

“Then stay away from floral prints and ruffles…” Emily grabbed a dress off the rack. “How about this star pattern?”

Maru giggled. “Definitely on-brand, but…”

“Too kitschy?”

“Too kitschy.” Maru nodded in agreement.

Emily pulled a second dress from the rack. “How about this? It’s the striped cotton poplin I used to make Flower Dance shirts for Vincent and Sam a few years ago.”

“I remember that, that was super cute! It’s too bad Vincent outgrew his. I like the whole ‘menswear in a feminine way’ thing that this dress has going on…” She took the dress and held it up to her body. “Think it would work?”

“All of my wrap dresses are cut from a one size fits most pattern. Given your build, the sleeves should be close-fitting but not snug, and the skirt should hit at your knees or a little below.”

“That sounds great! Can I try it on and return it if it doesn’t work?”

“Of course!” 

Maru bought the dress. She giggled as she ran across the square to Harvey’s clinic, and stopped to point out Emily’s clothing rack to Abigail. 

A few minutes later, Abigail and Caroline made their way to the square. 

“Hi, Abigail! Hi, Mrs. Caroline! How are you two?”

“Hey, you brought your parrot!” Abigail giggled.

“Careful, the parrot is apparently feeling bitey today. They tagged Maru pretty good.”

“Wow, these are cute!” Caroline grabbed the sleeve of a paisley-printed caftan. “I love the pattern on this one!”

“Thanks,” Emily said, “I special-ordered that fabric from overseas years ago. I’ve used it for scarves and blouses, too.”

Caroline took the dress from the rack. “Hey Abby, what do you think? Should I wear this to the Luau?”

“Oh, yeah, Mom! That’s cute.”

“What are you gonna wear?”

Abigail shrugged. “The usual. Maybe a skirt instead of jeans if it’s gonna be really hot.”

“Are you sure, honey? I could buy you something new here.”

“Like...what?” Abigail gave Emily an unsure glance. “I’m not seeing much that’s my style…”

“This?” Emily pulled a plain black wrap dress off the rack. The fabric was flowy and light, and the sleeves and the skirt fluttered. “With a big, chunky necklace...and some fishnet stockings and combat boots!”

“YES!” Abigail laughed.

“No!” Caroline facepalmed. “Maybe some bright-colored flat sandals, honey, and bare legs for summer…”

Abigail laughed even harder. “Mom, I love you, but Emily just nailed my aesthetic!”

Caroline cringed. “But honey...it’s the Luau...and I want you to look...you know...festive!”

“Abigail, check this out.” Emily held up another wrap dress. The cut was the same, the fabric was dark green, and it had a floral pattern.

“Huh?” Abigail looked over at Emily.

“No, come here.” Emily whispered and stepped back. Abigail followed her. Emily held out the skirt of the dress, pointing to the flowers. “These purple flowers are foxgloves. The pink flowers are oleander. The white ones are lily of the valley. All of them are poisonous.”

Abigail gave Emily a conspiratorial smile. “I like it! It looks all pretty and frou-frou on the surface, but…”

“It’s full of secrets, and power that shouldn’t be taken lightly.” Emily paused. “Kinda like you!”

Abigail and Caroline left happy, with Caroline none the wiser about the flowers on Abigail’s dress. 

As the morning went on, a few more women stopped by. Jodi bought a wrap dress with a delicate floral pattern. Leah bought a short green caftan and said she’d cinch the waist with a scarf. Evelyn just browsed, but she was kind enough to bring out a dish of water and a hot pepper for the parrot. They thanked her by screaming loud enough to scare away the seagulls at the beach.

Sam walked through the town square on his way to somewhere else, but couldn’t help himself when he saw the parrot. “Dude! Emily! You brought your buddy out, how’s he doing?”

“They,” Emily said. “We won’t know their gender unless they lay an egg.”

“Fair enough.” Sam turned to the parrot. His voice became high-pitched and soft, as if he was talking to a baby. “Sorry homie, didn’t mean to assume your gender. So, how ya doin’? Having fun with Emily?”

“We’re selling my dresses! So my friend is meeting all the ladies of Pelican Town…”

“Wait, this doesn’t look like it would fit you,” Sam said. He pulled a short wrap dress off the rack. “Maybe when you were, like, eight years old, before you got tall…”

“Oh, I didn’t make that one with me in mind.”

“HOLD ON.” Sam’s jaw dropped. He inspected the stitching. “You MADE all these?”

“Yep, that’s what I do with my free time…”

“Rad!! Can I have one?!” He laughed.

“Sure! You’re about my height and a little more muscular, so check out some of these longer wrap dresses...are you looking for something to wear to the Luau?”

“Sadly, no. Lewis hired me to DJ, and he’s actually paying me!”

“Nice!”

“Totally! But I have to be professional, and that means no drag.”

“Aww...want me to set up another karaoke night at the saloon so you can do drag here?”

“Of course!” Sam laughed. “You know I am ALWAYS down for karaoke! And I haven’t done drag since high school, this’ll be super fun!”

“How about this red one?” Emily held out a wrap dress, made of shiny and glittery fabric and tied with a flirty bow on the hip.

“Dude! Perfect!” Sam held it up to his shoulders. “I think I still have the stilettos I wore when I did drag before, they’re, like, glittery and gold! This’ll be so fun!”

“Yeah, it will!” Emily laughed. “And because that dress is in a size that’s hard to sell, I’m only charging 1000G for it.”

“Dude!” Sam pulled a handful of coins out of his pocket and handed them over to Emily. “Awesome, thanks!”

As Sam ran off giggling, Marnie and Jas approached the stall from the other side.

“Wow!! Cool parrot!”

“Now, Jas, be careful.” Marnie spoke softly. “Be quiet and move slowly. Parrots get nervous around things that make loud noises and move quickly, unless those things are other parrots.”

Emily giggled softly and nodded at Marnie.

“Oh, sorry…” Jas lowered her voice. “Miss Emily, what’s his name?”

“I didn’t give them a name, out of respect. If I knew what their mama parrot called them, I’d call them that, but I don’t want to impose upon them with a name they may or may not like. I just call them my friend.”

“Is he a boy or a girl?”

“We won’t know for sure unless they lay an egg.”

“Oh. Can I pet them?”

“We can see. I’ll get down on your level.” Emily slowly knelt down and talked to the parrot. “Hey, friend...want some head scratchies?” 

The parrot, understanding those words, put their head down and fluffed their neck feathers up.

“Yes, you do!” Emily gently scratched the parrot’s neck and head. “Now, Jas, slowly bring your hand up.”

Jas moved her hand toward the parrot’s neck.

“Hey, buddy, Jas is gonna give you scratchies…” Emily turned to Jas. “Very gently start scratching the parrot’s neck.”

Jas stuck her hand in the feathers and gasped. “It’s letting me pet it!”

Emily giggled. “Yeah, my friend here loves having their head and neck scratched.”

While Jas was making friends with the parrot, Marnie was looking at the dresses. “Emily, this is perfect for a beach party!” Marnie slowly removed a caftan with a palm leaf print from the rack. “I might just wear this to the Luau!”

Jas looked to her aunt. “Oh yeah, that would be so cool!” She very slowly stepped back from the bird. “Thanks for letting me pet you, Emily’s Friend.”

The parrot let out a happy little chirp and climbed up to Emily’s shoulder. Emily slowly stood.

“That was the idea, Ms. Marnie! And that palm leaf print is just perfect for you.”

“Aunt Marnie, can I have a dress for the Luau, too? Please?”

“Well…” Marnie looked the dresses over. “I think these are all adult sizes…”

“That’s true,” Emily said quickly, “but I also have sarongs! Here, let me show you something. May I tie a sarong on you like a halter dress? I’ll do it over the dress you’re wearing to show you.”

“Yeah!” Jas’s eyes lit up. “But...maybe you should put your friend on a perch he doesn’t get scared. I mean, they!”

Emily giggled. “Good idea.” She moved toward the clothing rack. “Alright, buddy, you’re going here for now, you don’t want to be around a sarong.”

The parrot dutifully stepped from Emily’s hand to the clothing rack. Emily grabbed a sarong, ocean blue with bright tropical flowers, and held it up.

“How does this one look?” Emily asked Jas.

“Like...just a rectangle?”

Emily laughed. “Right. But we can tie it on to you like a dress. Do you like the pattern?”

“Yeah, it has the colors of the sea! So it’s good for a beach party, too.”

“Alright. I’m gonna tie this on.” Emily held the sarong against Jas’s back. She crossed the top corners in front of the girl’s neck, then tied them in a knot behind her neck. “Ta-daaah! How does that look?” Emily gestured toward the mirror on the edge of the rack.

“Wow! That’s so cool! Aunt Marnie, can I get it please?”

Marnie laughed. “Sure, honey!”

As Marnie and Emily settled the bill, Penny walked by. She slowed down and gave the dresses a wistful look. She stepped closer, then turned to walk away.

“Penny, wait!” Emily waved her over.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t afford--”

Emily cut her off. “You haven’t met the parrot yet, have you?”

“Parrot?”

As if on cue, the parrot screeched. 

“Come on over!”

“Does it bite?” Penny approached timidly.

“It didn’t bite me, but you have to talk quietly and move really slowly,” Jas explained. “And then it’ll make its feathers fluffy, and Emily will say you can pet it.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks, Jas.” Penny slowly walked over to Emily and the parrot. As Marnie and Jas left, Emily taught Penny how to approach the parrot.

The parrot, upon seeing Penny’s approaching hand, reached out a foot and stepped up. Penny’s eyes widened. “Is...this okay?”

“If the parrot thinks it’s okay, which apparently they do, then it’s okay. Just hold your hand like that and keep talking softly.”

“Good bird,” Penny cooed. “You’re so pretty and I love those purple feathers on your head...”

“They really are a good friend,” Emily said. “Persnickety about the people they like, though. They bit Maru this morning when she was here buying a dress for the Luau, not enough to break the skin, but it left a welt.”

“Oh no!” Penny turned to the parrot. “Biting is mean and it hurts. Don’t bite my friend.” She spoke softly, but firmly.

The parrot responded with a scream.

Emily laughed and brought her hand up to the parrot, who obligingly stepped up. “You were looking at the dresses, weren’t you, Ms. Penny?”

Penny sighed. “Yes. They’re all so pretty, but I can’t afford them.”

Emily gave her a soft smile.

Penny continued. “I haven’t bought new clothes in years. I have three skirts--one in the laundry, one on the line, and one on me. I have five shirts, and only wear four of them because one is too small now. The few dresses I have are so worn out, except for the one that’s the wrong size.”

“So you need a new dress!”

Penny glared. “It’s not that easy! I can’t just decide that I want or need something, and then buy it. It takes weeks of saving, sometimes even months, even for small things.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not suggesting that you buy one, just saying that you need one.”

“I’ve needed a new dress for a while. I’d like more than one, but I need at least one.” She pulled a wrap dress, with a floral pattern and ruffled skirt, off the rack. “Something like this would be good...I could wear it with hose and my cardigan in the spring and fall, tights and a coat in the winter, and on its own in the summer. I like the colors, too...it would work for every season.”

“Hey, you’re right! That’s exactly why I got this fabric, too!” Emily smiled brightly. “I remember when I got this fabric. Marnie had just gotten custody of Jas, and didn’t have any kids’ clothing. So Jodi gave her some of Vincent’s old hand-me-downs, and I went and got a bunch of fabric in Grampleton. I made about ten different little sleeveless toddler tunics...Jas wore them as long dresses when she was three years old, short dresses when she was four, and shirts when she was five. I picked fabrics that were colorful enough to have lots of matching options, and weren’t really seasonal. And I got a few extra yards of that flower print because I just love it.”

“I love it too. Can I give you 50G to start a layaway?” Penny gave Emily a smile that looked like a cringe.

“No, I’ll just give it to you,” Emily said.

“What?”

“You can have it.”

“No I can’t!” Penny giggled nervously. “That wouldn’t be right! You’re out here trying to make money.”

“I go to work at the Saloon to make money,” Emily answered. “I make dresses for fun. And I sell dresses when the Universe tells me to share my gifts. If I didn’t give you this dress, it would either be in my closet with nobody using it, or on somebody who doesn’t need it as much as you.”

“I feel bad taking it without paying for it, though. That fabric had to have been expensive! And you took your time to make it…” Penny looked down at Emily’s shoes. “Is there anything I can do to pay you for it? Anything you need?”

“You mentioned a shirt that’s too small and some dresses that you don’t wear. Can I please have those?”

“Are you sure that’s all you want? They’re practically trash…”

“The ones that have usable fabric can be made into bandannas, scrunchies, shirts for Jas if there’s enough good fabric...even the worn out stuff has its uses! I could use a small square to back a picture in a scrapbook or cover some buttons, and I can even use the worst fabric for parrot toys! My friend here loves to destroy the curtains and chew holes in my shirts. So I can cut loops of fabric, attach them to a chain, and give my friend something new to play with!”

“Oh, wow!” Penny beamed. “You have such a creative mind, Emily. I’ll be back soon.”


	4. The Day Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plumbing emergency at the clinic throws Harvey's day, and Maru's birthday, into chaos. Haley gives a couple makeovers to Pelican Town's less beauty-minded residents.

It was 6:00 in the morning when Maru heard a pounding on her patio door. She stumbled out of bed, fumbled with her glasses, and opened the door to find Harvey looking panicked.

Swearing under her breath, she grabbed a set of scrubs out of her drawer and followed Harvey to the golf cart.

He buckled his seat belt, waited for her to buckle hers, then started the drive down the mountain. Finally, he spoke. “The clinic flooded.”

Maru let out another barrage of swears, this time very loudly.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. The water heater failed. Most of the damage is in the back, the exam room and the inpatient area. Pierre’s helping clean up, and he’s letting us use the big room in the store for exams. I’ve got a pair of rain boots for you, and you can change and get ready in my apartment. You’ll be fixing the electronics while I see patients, Pierre and the disaster recovery guys clean up, and the plumbers replace the water heater. I may need your help seeing patients, too.”

Maru sighed. “It is my birthday.” She spoke plainly. “It is 6:00am on my birthday and it’s my day off. I mean, yeah, I’m gonna help, because you need it...but damn.” She paused for a second, glowering out the windshield of the golf cart. “You don’t have an extra toothbrush, do you?”

“Yes, I actually do! A former classmate of mine sent me a case of them to give out at checkups after she heard that Pelican Town doesn’t have a dentist. She’s a public health geek.”

“Can I please have one?”

“Yes, you may. You may also have some coffee, and raid my fridge, because you’re doing me a huge favor.”

Maru rubbed her temples. “Thanks.”

Harvey parked the golf cart behind the clinic. The back door was open, and Pierre was inside, sucking up water with an industrial vacuum. There was a pair of rain boots waiting by the door.

Maru took off her slippers and stepped into the boots, which went up well past her knees. With a little chuckle, she followed Harvey into the clinic and up the stairs to his apartment.

“The restroom is right down the hall,” he said, “and here’s a toothbrush. It’s pink, I hope you don’t mind. I’ll make some coffee and cook us up some breakfast, and then we can go over the plan for the day.”

Maru took the toothbrush. “Thanks. And thanks for making breakfast, too.”

After breakfast, Maru hauled all the electronics over to Pierre’s. It didn’t take her long to determine that most of the electronics were okay. Either the water didn’t reach them, or it fried the battery backup and left the devices alone. The patient care computer in the back of the clinic, stored in the same closet as the water heater, was damaged. Luckily, Maru had been making backups regularly, so she was able to use Dr. Harvey’s laptop as a temporary replacement.

It took nearly all day, but Harvey and Maru were able to fall into a somewhat comfortable rhythm of treating patients in their makeshift clinic.

As they were discussing closing up for the day, Haley came limping in.

“Haley! Hi, what seems to be the problem?” Dr. Harvey showed her to a kitchen chair next to the heart monitor.

“Ugh.” Haley took off her shoe. “I stubbed my big toe a little while ago, and now it’s just all painful and gross.”

Dr. Harvey inspected the toenail. After a short conversation with Haley and a quick check of her vital signs, he diagnosed her with an ingrown, infected toenail.

“Unfortunately, part of that toenail will need to come off.”

“Oh, Yoba!” Haley put her head in her hands. “Does this mean I have to miss the Luau tomorrow?”

“That’ll depend on your comfort level.” Dr. Harvey shrugged. “For the next week or so, you’ll need to soak your feet twice a day, change your bandage daily, and wear either sandals--”

“NO…”

“--or loose, flat shoes with cotton socks.”

“Ugh. So basically I have to be comfortable looking like a dork.”

Harvey chuckled. “Well, I was referring to your pain level and tolerance of the cleaning routine…”

“Alright, let’s get this over with.”

After the painful ordeal of the numbing shots in Haley’s big toe, Dr. Harvey left to get the equipment needed to remove the toenail. 

“Yoba’s rear end, I wish I would have gotten something to numb me up before the numbing shot!”

“Those things are terrible,” Maru said. “I’ve actually had the same procedure done. The bad part is over.”

“That’s good.” Haley tossed her hair over her shoulder. “What are you wearing tomorrow, anyway?”

Maru blushed a deep red. “I bought a dress from Emily.” She quickly pulled up a picture of the dress on her smartphone and showed it to Haley.

“Oh, yay!!” Haley clapped. “I’m gonna love seeing you look cute for once!”

Maru’s jaw dropped.

“Oh, Yoba. That’s not quite what I meant, sorry. I mean, it’ll be fun to see you dressed up. Do you know how you’re gonna do your makeup?”

Maru cringed. “No…?”

“Haley, I’m about to get started.” Harvey took Haley’s foot and tapped his hand on her toe. “Can you feel that?”

“Nope.”

“Good! You should feel pressure. You should not feel pain, so if it hurts, please let me know.” He gingerly started working on Haley’s foot.

“Alright.” She turned back to Maru. “So. I think you’d look good with a bright red lip…”

“I don’t have any red lipstick,” Maru said. As an afterthought, she added, “And I plan on eating a whole ton of food, so it might wear off.”

Harvey tried his best to stifle a giggle. It didn’t work. He wrapped up Haley’s toe in gauze as the ladies talked.

“How about a smoky brown eye and some contouring?” Haley asked.

Maru chuckled. “I...know some of those words…” She looked back to see Clint entering the makeshift clinic. “Mr. Clint, do you need help?”

Clint yawned. “Just a muscle remedy, please.”

“Abigail will ring you up at the counter.”

“Oh! Huh. Okay.”

“She’s working the register since Pierre’s cleaning our clinic.”

“How’d he get stuck doing that?” Clint laughed. “Poor guy.”

“He owns the building.” Maru turned back to Haley. “So, what would I need for that? All I have is my brick red lipstick and a black eyeliner pencil.”

“Oh, Yoba, that’s literally all your makeup?”

Maru shrugged. “I never have a reason to wear it. I just put on moisturizer.”

“You should be wearing sunscreen, too,” Harvey interrupted.

“Yes, Doctor…”

“In fact, I should take a big bottle of sunscreen to the Luau tomorrow and offer it up to everyone!”

“They might think you’re a creep,” Haley said.

Maru cringed. 

“I could set it out on a table with a little sign saying it’s free for the taking, then.” Harvey shrugged. “I don’t care who applies the sunscreen, as long as everyone’s wearing some. Sam and Penny both got burned bad last year, and Maru, I know your shoulders got it, too.”

“Oh yeah. That hurt. So, a sunscreen table would be a good idea! Maybe you could ask the farmer for some summer spangles to dress the table up and really call attention to it.”

“Good idea!” Harvey helped Haley to her feet. “Haley, normally I’d print out some aftercare instructions for you. But today is obviously not a normal day, with the flooding and all, so I’ll email them to you. I don’t want you walking too much...”

“I can drive her home in the golf cart!” Maru said. She turned to Haley. “If you don’t mind, will you show me the types of makeup I’ll need?”

“I can show you the eyeshadows and stuff, but all the foundation and bronzer is gonna have to match your skin tone. I bet you could get some tonight at the Grampleton drugstore.”

“Ooooh, are you doing makeovers?” Clint took a swig of his muscle tonic.

“Yep!” Haley smiled brightly.

“Can I have one?” He laughed.

“You need one, get in the cart and come to my place!”

Again, Maru cringed. How in the world does Haley get away with saying stuff like that? She led Clint to the cart, parked behind the clinic, and pulled around front to get Haley.

The odd trio spent the rest of the evening primping and being pampered. Haley gave Clint an undercut, trimmed his beard, and introduced him to the wonders of deep-cleaning and moisturizing face masks. She gave Maru the brown smoky eye she’d suggested, along with a step-by-step diagram and product recommendations. And, as per Dr. Harvey’s instructions, she did most of it with her foot elevated to promote healing, and built an outfit for the next day around a pair of loose-fitting sneakers.


	5. The Luau

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex gives Lewis a suggestion, Marlon gives Marnie a gift, Demetrius and Robin give Emily a run for her money at a dance-off, and the Governor tastes the soup. After dinner, the dance party continues.

“Hey Lewis, I got a little something for your suggestion box!” Alex casually walked up to the Mayor, with George slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Lewis’s jaw dropped.

“Build a wheelchair ramp!” Alex chuckled. “Every year, for the Luau and the Moonlight Jellies, I gotta carry Gramps down to the pier. This year, Haley’s pushing his wheelchair because Granny has such a hard time walking on the sand as it is.”

“Um...with all due respect, Alex, now isn’t really the best time to discuss this.” Lewis took a step back.

“Sure it is, ya old coot!” George yelled. His back was to Lewis, but he wanted to make sure he was heard. “Worried we’re gonna embarrass you in front of the governor?”

“Well--”

“--Because it’s pretty damned embarrassing being a grown man who has to get carried by his grandson!”

Alex nodded. “He’s right. And I’m not gonna live here forever…”

“Neither is George,” Lewis said.

“Neither are any of us!” George crowed. “We’re all gonna get old someday. You might be the one who needs a wheelchair!”

“But we have to think about zoning and land use and ecosystem impact…” Lewis loosened his tie.

“You decide the zoning. That’s literally your job,” Alex said. “The town owns the land. So, again, you decide what to do with it. And Demetrius could do a study about the impact of putting a wooden ramp on top of the sand. Boom, done!” He shifted his weight. “C’mon, Lewis. Walk with me. Gramps is getting heavy.”

They walked down to the dock, where Haley had put the wheelchair. Evelyn was sitting in it, pouring sand out of her shoes.

“Oh, dear me,” she muttered, “I must be getting older than I thought! That was a hard walk.”

“Next time, you might have to have Alex haul you around, too!” George laughed. “Don’t worry, he’s good with precious cargo.”

Haley helped Evelyn to her feet. Alex set George down in his wheelchair. “Tell you what, Mr. Lewis. If I can secure the funding and a plan that won’t hurt the environment, will you change the zoning?”

“Of course, that sounds good.” With that, Lewis turned on his heel and went back to the north end of the beach.

George couldn’t resist getting in a parting shot. “Way to make a kid do your job, ya walnut!”

Back at the buffet table, Marlon slowly made his way down the line. After loading up a plate with appetizers, and precariously balancing a small paper plate with a slice of Pink Cake on top, he limped his way over to Marnie.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Marnie.”

“Mr. Marlon, hi! How are you?” She glanced at the Pink Cake with a smile.

“Doing well, ma’am. Is that a new dress? It looks lovely on you!”

Marnie blushed. “Thanks. Yes, it is. Miss Emily designed and sewed it herself! She’s quite the seamstress.”

“Well, don’t sell your own taste short. You’re the one who chose it, and it looks wonderful. Would you like some Pink Cake?” He took the paper plate from his plate of appetizers and handed it to Marnie.

“This is an incredible gift! Thanks!” Marnie gingerly took the Pink Cake. She tried her best to eat delicately as they chatted.

Upon seeing the Pink Cake, Vincent’s eyes lit up. He had an idea! He just had to make it happen without getting in trouble. He looked around.

Kent and Pierre were hanging out by the trees, chatting and drinking. Jodi and Caroline were distracted, too, admiring each other’s new dresses. Sam was at the DJ booth, but he wouldn’t snitch. The coast was clear!

Vincent grabbed a plate and snuck over to the Pink Cake. He cut off a large, jagged slice and plopped it on to the plate. He walked down the buffet line and grabbed a fork and a napkin.

“Vincent!” His mother’s shrill voice cut through the air. He set the pink cake up on the table.

“Yes ma’am?”

Jodi stormed over. “You know exactly what! No dessert until you’ve eaten dinner, young man!”

“It’s not mine!”

“I saw you cut it and take it.” She knelt down to her son’s level and glared. “Do not lie to me. I know you cut that slice of cake, and I saw you put it back when I called you.”

“Yes ma’am, that’s right. I got it for Jas. Pink Cake is one of her favorite things, and she already ate some meat. She told me.”

Jodi’s face softened. “Aww...that’s sweet of you. I’m not sure Jas can eat that much cake, though, that’s a huge slice. Why don’t we cut it in half, put half of it back, and then you can give the other half to Jas?”

Vincent sighed. “Okay...I really wanted her to have a giant piece because she loves Pink Cake, though.”

“Honey, I’m not sure she could fit that much Pink Cake in her stomach.”

“But she really loves it!”

“Why don’t you bring her a normal-sized piece now, and if she wants more later and her aunt Marnie says it’s okay, she can have more later?”

“Okay.”

With that, Jodi divided the giant slice of Pink Cake into two more reasonable portions, and put one back. She handed the other slice, along with a fork and napkin, to Vincent.

He strutted up to Jas, who was milling around by the dance floor. “Hey Jas!”

Jas turned around to see him and his cake. “No fair! You get Pink Cake?”

“No, it’s for you!” He proudly held out the plate.

Jas gasped and clapped her hands. “Wow!! Thank you!” She took the plate and immediately shoved a huge bite into her mouth. As soon as she swallowed enough to be able to make noise, she spoke again. “I love Pink Cake!”

“I know! You told me!” Vincent giggled. “I love Pink Cake too, but my mom said I can’t have any until I eat my dinner. But that’s okay, because there’s still some left!”

Jas nodded vigorously. Her mouth was full of cake.

“Um, your dress is pretty....”

Jas swallowed quickly. “Thanks! Guess what? It’s actually just a rectangle! Aunt Marnie knows how to tie it so it looks like a dress, Miss Emily taught her how!”

“Cool! It makes you look like you’re on vacation! Do you like my shirt? It has a dinosaur on it.”

“Yeah! It’s a velociraptor! It even has feathers, which means they drew it right! Did I tell you I got to pet Miss Emily’s parrot?”

While Vincent and Jas chatted, a disco melody thumped over the speakers. Emily ran to the dance floor and started to dance. 

Not wanting to be outdone, Demetrius moonwalked across the floor to Emily. He tapped her on the shoulder and spun around a few times, then landed in the splits. 

Emily laughed. She posed with a finger in the sky for a few beats, then busted out the running man and the cabbage patch.

Demetrius hip-checked her out of the way, then froze. When he moved again, it was mechanical and angular, he was doing the robot. Emily heard Maru and Penny giggling in the background.

“Power off!” Emily mimed flipping a light switch on Demetrius’s shoulder. His arms and head slumped down and he froze. Emily spun circles around him, shook her hips, shimmied to the side, and did a back handspring in front of him.

“Power on!” Robin, dressed in her work clothing and hiking boots, mimed turning on Demetrius’s switch. By this point, a crowd had gathered. Demetrius took Robin’s hand and spun her around, pulling her into a few bars of the shuffle. After another spin, he held his hands flat like a step. Robin stepped into his hand, and he launched her into a backflip.

The crowd went wild. Emily went wild, too, jumping up and down and screaming.

“I didn’t realize that ham was on the menu,” Lewis quipped.

“Well, if ya got talent like that,” the governor said, “it would be a shame not to show it off!” He smiled. “You know, between the music and the food, and now the dancing, I’m impressed! I’m looking forward to tasting the soup this year.”

Up at the soup pot, Shane and Gus were chatting. Shane had an egg in one hand and a jug of milk in the other.

“Whaddaya think, Gus? Should I put in an egg, milk, or both?”

“I already poured a beer in on your behalf!”

“Huh. I forgot I’d bought that.” Shane gently tossed the egg in the air and caught it. “This egg was just too good to pass up. Charlie laid it this morning. It’s huge! And it looks perfect, doesn’t it?” Shane held the egg in front of Gus’s face.

“Well...you’re not wrong!” Gus laughed. “I’d love that egg. What’s the story with the milk?”

Shane cracked the egg with one hand and dumped it into the pot as Gus stirred. “It’s from Chungus, she’s a good cow in the prime of her life. It’s delicious stuff.”

“Might wanna hang on to that,” Gus said. “My hot pepper chutney is hotter this year than it’s ever been before.”

“Nice!” Shane tossed the eggshell in the trash and made a beeline for the buffet table. 

After Gus mixed the egg in and watched it form itself into little tendrils, he made his way up to Sam at the DJ stand.

“What’s up, Mr. Gus!” Sam shook Gus’s hand.

“Hey, Mr. Sam! Soup’s ready to go.”

“Rad!” Sam faded the music out and took the microphone. “Esteemed guests, may I have your attention please!” His voice was deep, yet bright. “It’s time for the main event, the ceremonial tasting of the communal Luau soup! This year, rather than relying on store-bought stock, our chef Mr. Gus has put together the broth on his own…” 

There were a few claps from the audience.

“Give it up! Mr. Gus made gallons of homemade broth!”

There was a loud cheer.

“YES! My thoughts exactly, that is no small feat! I trust everyone has put something delicious into the pot. Mr. Governor, will you do the honors?”

“I’ve been looking forward to this all day!” The Governor stepped forward. Gus handed him a clean spoon. He took a spoonful of soup, inhaled deeply, blew on it to cool it down, then put the spoon in his mouth.

“Ah...that’s a very pleasant soup. The produce from this valley never disappoints!” The Governor set the spoon aside and ladled a scoop into a bowl. “I especially like the egg ribbons.” Upon hearing that, Shane did a silent happy dance.

“So, who wants some?” Sam asked, over the mic. “After we all enjoy our soup, we’ll take this festival into the night with the hi-energy dance music of Xenon Chip 3.0!”

With a round of applause, the villagers of Pelican Town headed over to the soup pot and filled their bowls.

The night went on. Xenon Chip 3.0 played a thumping techno dance set which delighted the younger villagers and drove the older ones to the quieter side of the beach, over by the tide pools. To bring them back after the set, the band played a few softer, slower country songs that they’d been practicing. Kent danced with Jodi. Pierre danced with Caroline. Maru danced with Penny, who looked beautiful in her new dress. Alex, at his grandfather’s urging, danced with his grandmother. It looked like he made her night!

As the next song started, Kent and Pierre wandered off the floor. Caroline took Jodi’s hand and whispered in her ear. The women giggled, placed hands on each other’s waists, and danced together. Alex helped Granny Evelyn back to her chair, stopping to get her a slice of chocolate cake on the way. Vincent and Jas imitated the grown-ups, dancing dramatically, with no regard to rhythm or correct steps. Every once in a while, Jas would giggle, since Vincent was making up lyrics about Pink Cake, cooties, and how Sam is a cool DJ.


End file.
